Obama communications man Dan Pfeiffer has posted a full apology to columnist Charles Krauthammer on the White House web site.
Charles,
I take your criticism seriously and you are correct that you are owed an apology. There was clearly an internal confusion about the two busts and there was no intention to deceive. I clearly overshot the runway in my post. The point I was trying to make – under the belief that the Bust in the residence was the one previously in the Oval Office– was that this oft repeated talking point about the bust being a symbol of President Obama’s failure to appreciate the special relationship is false. The bust that was returned was returned as a matter of course with all the other artwork that had been loaned to President Bush for display in his Oval Office and not something that President Obama or his Administration chose to do. I still think this is an important point and one I wish I had communicated better.
A better understanding of the facts on my part and a couple of deep breaths at the outset would have prevented this situation. Having said all that, barring a miracle comeback from the Phillies I would like to see the Nats win a world series even if it comes after my apology
Thanks,
Dan Pfeiffer
Good on him for apologizing, but refer back to Pfeiffer’s snarky post in which he insisted that the bust was Right. Where. We. Put. It. Which was in the British embassy, as Krauthammer had said. It’s also worth noting that Reuters and National Journal — the two news outlets Pfeiffer cited in his defense in that post — have had the story totally wrong for years, while the blogs and columnists on the right have had it entirely right. The administration would be wise to put an adult in charge of its communications.
The British took the return of the bust as an insult and an ominous sign for our cross-Atlantic relationship. They have turned out to be right about that.
The British offered to leave the bust on loan to the W/H but Obama said no. He has had a hard-on for the Brits for his entire life.
Exactly. barry blames everyone for his growing up without his father. If that really was his father. barry blames the British Colonialist, america, the white man and so on and so on.
He blames every one but his father.
If they actually had an adult available there are more crucial posts he could man, like the Big Chair. But in the meantime, hasn’t there been turnover in the UK? While any PM would be concerned about a split with the US, this particular “snub” was a knock on the Iraq war, a position Blair’s successor seems likely in sympathy.
Now we’d like fourteen trillion more apologies, pleeze.
I didn’t say what I said. (you didn’t build that)
I didn’t do what I did. (return Winston’s bust as gesture to his Dreams from his father)
I didn’t go where I went. (Socialist Scholars convention, New Party headquarters, Bill Ayers living room)
I didn’t sit where I sat. (pews of of Jeremiah Wrightfor 20 years)
I didn’t hear what I heard (God Damn America, garlic noses and gutter religion Jews)
I didn’t mean what I meant (bitter clingers, our “enemies” to Hispanic radio)
I didn’t hide what I’m hiding (college transcripts, foreign student applications, social security residence)
I didn’t take what I took (Rezco home deal, foreign credit card donations)
I didn’t tell what I told (White House leaks, Fast and Furious coverup)
This is leading from behind…the Journo Curtain.
This would have been a better post if it had ended after the words “Good on him for apologizing”. Sometimes less is more.
Disagree, Hyperpotamus. The “apology,” as is usual for this administration, tries to leave the impression that even though they’re apologizing, they really shouldn’t have to apologize because they were right anyway. That’s not the case. They were NOT right anyway, and the paragraphs after the “apology” explain why.
Have to disagree, Jack. The pragraphs after “Good on him for apologizing” really just rehearse the original offence for which Pfeiffer was apologizing, anf throw the related offences of others in. Those are inapprpropriate responses to an apology. It may be true that the Adminstration would be wise to hire an adult to be in charge of their communications, but there is no shortage of opportunities at PJMedia to make that point. This post was not the place to do so.
Nope. This is the canned apology on file in case they get busted.
Why is Pfeiffer still employed? He put the full weight of the White House behind his snark on their official blog and the right called this story 100% from Day 1.
No apology can suffice here. Pfeiffer has to go.
Sorry. There is NO apology in the note as posted. He writes, “You are owed an apology” but never writes the words “I apologize.”
I’d be happy to say to a friend to whom I owe a debt, “You deserve to be repaid,” then not repay him and still get credit for making the repayment.
I repeat: there is *no actual apology* in the words of Dan Pfeiffer above.
Good point. Then again, that’s how this Administration rolls. They are never wrong so they never need to apologize.
This reminds me of Jane Fonda’s “apology” to Barbara Walters about her activities in the Vietnam era. I don’t recall the exact words but they were very close to “I’m sorry if some people were offended by what I did”. She did NOT say she was sorry for what she did, just that she regretted that some people didn’t like it. It’s like when a boy tells his sister that she’s ugly and the parent says “Tell your sister you’re sorry” and the boy says “Gee sis, I’m sorry that you’re ugly”. It’s a NON-apology. Any real apology is avoided by verbal trickery.
Didn’t some previous Dem flack make the mistake of crossing swords with Krauthammer a year or so ago? Dudes, Krauthammer is like the hottest chick in school… way out of your league! And he buys ink by the barrel, too, so don’t start a fight with him.
Maybe these guys just do not know how really dumb they are? Only explanation I can think of.